Amusement apparatus



E. MECCHI AMUSEMENT APPARATUS April 4, 1944.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 12, 1941 -Z: Mecckz',

INVENTOR.

ATTOKNEYS April 1944- E. MECCHI 2,345,855

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iii: x

Zf/l/fe c c 72 z,

INVENTOR.

A TTOENEXS E MECCHI AMUSEMENT APPARATUS April 4, 1944.

Filed Dec. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .ECMecchi,

INVENTOR.

A T T OENE Y5 v Patented Apr. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAMUSEMENT APPARATUS Edmondo Mecchi, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1941, Serial No. 422,749

9 Claims.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is anamusement machine in which passenger baskets are carried around in anorbit by a rotor. The invention aims to provide novel means for swingingthe baskets in and out as they move in an orbit, and to provide novelmeans for rotating the baskets, about substantially vertical axes, asthey move in an orbit. A further object of the invention is to supplynovel means for stopping the rotation of the baskets about substantiallyvertical axes, when a basketgate is opened.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objectsv in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in vertical transverse section, a device constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan wherein parts are broken away;

Fig. 3 is a top plan showing a portion of the frame of the rotor;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the baskets, parts being brokenaway;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. '7, the gate beingclosed;

Fig. 6 is a similar view, the gate being opened;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line '|--I of Fig. 5.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a support, including abase I; on which are mounted vertical, braced posts 2, anti-frictionwheels 3 being supported for rotation on the upper ends of the posts. Afoot bearing 4 is carried by the base I and is located within anupstanding bearing frame 5, secured to the base. A vertical main shaft 6is mounted to rotate in the bearing frame 5, the lower end of the shaftbeing carried by the foot bearing 4. Within the contour of the bearingframe, a large beveled gear I is secured to the shaft 6, the gearmeshing with a small beveled pinion 8, secured to the shaft of anelectric motor 9, carried by. the base i. The motor 9 maybe referred toas a first motor.

The numeral Ill marks a fixed platform provided with an opening II inwhich is located a rotor R. The framework of the rotor R includes acentral hub 12, radial arms l4 extending from the hub, a rim I5 joinedto the outer ends of the arms, rigid ties l6 joining adjacent arms anddisposed close to the rim, and inclined braces l'l connecting the hub l2with the arms M. The rim l5 rides on the wheels 3. The upper end of themain shaft 6 is squared as shown at 18, the squared part of the shaftfitting in a correspondingly shaped opening in the hub i2. A nut I9 isthreaded on the extreme upper end of the shaft 6 and holds down the hubl2 on the squared part l8 of the shaft. A turntable 25 is secured to theframework of the rotor R.

A slide S is mounted for vertical reciprocation in the rotor R and onthe main shaft 6. The slide S includes a foot 2!, slidable on the shaft6, a head 22 disposed above the turntable 20, and rigid connections 23joining the head and the foot. The connections 23 are verticallyslidable through the hub l2. The inner ends of rigid, radial links 24are pivoted to the foot 2|.

A stage 25 is secured to the main shaft 6, above the frame 5. On thestage 25 is mounted an electrical motor 26, which may be called a secondmotor. The circuit for the motor 26 is designated by the numeral 21. Astandard 28 is mounted on the upper end of the frame 5 and carriesbrushes 29, engaging collector rings 30, secured to the shaft 6 butinsulated therefrom. The collector rings 30 are interposed in the motorcircuit 21. Any substitute structure may be provided whereby current maybe supplied to the second motor 26, which moves around in a horizontalorbit, when the shaft 6 is rotated.

The shaft of the motor 25 carries a pulley 3!, about which is engaged abelt 32, engaging a large pulley 33 on a shaft 34 mounted to turn in abracket 35 on the stage 25. The shaft 34 has oppositely projecting crankarms 36 and 31.

A housing 38 is secured to the turntable 26 of the rotor R, anupstanding frame 39 being secured to the turntable, within the housing.Pulleys 40 and GI are supported for rotation on the upper part of theframe 39, side by side, and a pulley 42 is journaled on the frame, inoffset relation with respect to the pulleys 49 and 4|. One end of aflexible element 43 is connected to the crank arm 36. The flexibleelement 43 extends upwardly, and downwardly, about the pulley 40, theflexible element being secured at 44 to the head 22 of the slide s. Aflexible element 45 is secured to the crank arm 31 and extends upwardlyand horizontally over the pulley 4!. Thence, the flexible elementextends downwardly about the pulley 42, and upwardly about a sheave 46,carried by a bracket 4'! on the stage 25. The flexible element 45 isattached at &8 to the foot 2| of the slide S.

Baskets B are disposed above the rotor R, and there may be as many or asfew of the baskets as is desired. The baskets B may be constructed asdesired. They are shown as comprising, each, an upper rail 49,'a base50, a hub 5| secured to the lower surface of the base, and spokes 52connecting the base with the upper rail. The base has a cavity 53 whichis closed by the hub 5E. The base 55) has a groove 54 extended partwaytherearound. At one end, the groove 5 is enlarged to form an inwardlyextended recess 55. A passage 55 connects the cavity 53 with the recess55.

The letter G marks a gate, constituting a'closure'forthe otherwise openportion of the basket B. The gate G includes a top rail, a curved bottomrail 57, and spokes 58 connecting the rails. Near one vertical edge, thegate G is connected with a basket B by hinges 59. At its hinged end,

the bottom rail '51 of the gate has an enlargement 6!], in which islocated a curved slot 6!. A guide rod 62 is mounted in the base 5!! ofthe basket and extends vertically across the recess 55, the guide rodbein'g received in the slot 6i of the gate. The slotfii and the guiderod 62 cooperate to take strain off the hinged mounting 59 of the gate.p

When the gate G is closed, the bottom rail 5? is received in the groove54 of the base, the enlargement 60 being received in the recess 55, andthe gate being held closed by a latch 63, adapted to engage keepers 64on the gate and on one of the spokes 52 of the basket body,- as Fig. 4shows.

Each basket B is carried by an upright lever 65, which is fulcrumedintermediate its ends on the ties I6 of the frame of the rotor R, thelevers extending upwardly through holes 61 in the turntable 20. Theouter ends of the links 24 are pivoted to the lower ends of the levers65, which have in and out swinging movement, radially of the rotor R.Ball bearings 68 mount each basket B for rotation on the upper endof thecorresponding lever 65. Incidentally, ball bearings may be used whereverdesired, throughout the structure.

Apulley 69 is secured to the upper end of each lever and is 'located inthe cavity 53 of the basket base 53. About the pulley 69 is trained aflexible element 70, having one end anchored at H on the base 59 of thebasket B, a pull spring i2 being connected'to the opposite end of theflexible element, and to an outstanding finger 13 on the enlargement 60of the gate, the spring passing through the opening 56.

When the gate G is opened, as in Fig. 6, the spring 72 ti htens theflexible element it about the pulley 69, rotation of thebasket upon thelever 65 being prevented. The spring 12 also serves as a means forclosing the gate G, and when the gate is closed, as'in Fig. 5, the pullof thesprlng i2 is lessened to such an-extent'thatthe flexible element'ifl'no longer acts as a brake strap, relatively free rotation ofthebasket with respect to the lever '65 being then'possible.

Since'the spring "l 2-tends to'close the gate G,

a'meansis provided for keeping the gate open.

That means embodies a lever 'ld fulcrtuned interr necilate-itsends, at75, on the'base 55 of the 'basket'B. The inner endof' the leverWis-pivoted to a latch pin 16, mounted to slide vertically in the base50 of the basket. When the latch pin it is lowered by means of the leverM, the latch pin engages one edge of the bottom rail 51 of the gate G,when the gate is open, and the gate cannot close under the pull of thespring 12. If the latch pin 16 is raised by means of the lever 74, thegate G closes, under the action of the spring 12, and the lower end ofthe latch pin then rests on top of the enlargement 653 of the gate, asshown in Fig. 5.

A means is provided whereby rotation may be. imparted to each basket,relatively to the corresponding lever 65. The means referred to includesa slide ll, best shown in Fig. 2. The slide 7'! is mounted on theplatform Iii (which is fixed) by means of guides 18 On the platform. Atits inner end, the slide 11 is supplied with an angularl disposed finger79, having some resiliency, the finger being adapted to wipe along theedge of the base 50 of eachbasket, as the basket moves around in anorbit. The slide Tl and the finger Z9 constitutes a wiper.

Let it be supposed that the motors 9 and 26 are idle, the slide l! beingadvanced, so that its finger i5 is in the path'of the bases 50 of thebaskets B as they subsequently move in an orbit, and the baskets beingin the vertical positions of Fig. 1. The motor 9 has a high speed and alow speed. It is started at low speed, and rotation is imparted to therotor R by a train of parts including the pinion 8, the gear wheel 1 andthe shaft 6.

The baskets B are caused to rotate on an axis represented by the levers65, which are then vertical, the base 50 of each basket coming intocontact with the finger 79 of the slide Tl. The rotation of the basketson independent axes continues, until the slide 17 has been retracted, towithdraw the finger 19 out of the orbit described by the bases of thebaskets. The levers 65 maintain a vertical position, because the motor26 is at rest, and does not actuate the means whereby the baskets arecaused to swing in and outyon the fulcra 66.

The operator starts the motor 26, the pulleys 3! and 33 and the belt32'actu'ate the shaft 34, the crank 36 and the flexible element 43raising the slide S, and the crank 3'! and the flexible element 45drawing it down. When the slide S moves downwardly, the links 24 and thelevers 65 swing the baskets B outwardly, and when'the slide movesupwardly, the link and the levers swing the baskets inwardly.

When the motor 26 is stopped, the baskets no longer swing radially ofthe rotor 'R, on the fulcra 66. When the motorS is set at high speed,the rotor R turns at correspondingly increased speed fora period'of suchduration as the operator desires. When the motor 9 is let downto slowspeed, and the motor 26 is started and kept working, the baskets B areerected, as shown in Fig. 1. When both motors 9 and 26 are stopped, therotor R ceases to'carry the baskets B in an orbit, and thetransit is atan end. I

The levers 65'S8IVe also as shafts andbasket supports, since the basketsB are mounted to rotate upon them.

The finger T9 constitutes fixed means engageable with the basket B toimpart rotation thereto when the rotor R is rotated. The fixed means 79is of such extent, circumferentially ofthe rotor B, as to impartrotation to the basket B whilst the rotor rotates through a limited arc,

'thebasket thereafter rotating by'inertia. When swinging movement isimparted to the lever 65, the center of mass of the basket B and thepassenger therein is shifted, after the basket has cleared the fixedmeans 19, and irregularity in the rotation of the basket is produced. Itis beyond the limit of probability that the center of mass of thepassenger and the basket B will coincide with the axis of rotation ofthe basket. In an extreme, illustrative instance, the passenger may be1eaning outwardly over the edge of the basket. The basket will rotatewith a jerk, the rotation ultimately ceasing, and an oscillation of thebasket in an are taking place, perhaps until the basket again encountersthe fixed means 19. Recalling that, broadly stated, amusement is the enddesired, the operation last above set forth has utility.

Although a preferred method of operation has been set forth, thestructure is such that the operator is left free to use his owningenuity and judgment as to giving the passengers a rough ride or aneasy one.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In an amusement apparatus, a fixed platform, a rotor supported forrotation with respect to the platform and in a substantially horizontalplane, a passenger basket, means for mounting the basket on the rotorfor travel, with the rotor, in an orbit, and for rotation about anindividual, upright axis, a wiper, and means for mounting the wiper onthe platform, for adjustment at the will of an operator, out ofengagement with the periphery of the basket, and into engagementtherewith thereby to impart rotation to the basket about said individualaxis.

2. In an amusement apparatus, a rotor mounted for rotation in asubstantially horizontal plane, an upright lever fulcrumed intermediateits ends on the rotor, a basket carried by the upper portion of thelever, a slide mounted for up and down reciprocation on the rotor, meansconnecting the slide with the lever for imparting movement to the lever,and mechanism for raising the slide; said mechanism including a motorand means for mounting the motor for movement in an orbit, along withthe rotor.

3. In an amusement apparatus, a substantially vertical shaft supportedfor rotation, a rotor carried by the shaft, an upright lever fulcrumedintermediate its ends on the rotor, a passenger basket carried by theupper portion of the lever, a slide mounted for up and downreciprocation on the rotor, means for connecting the slide with thelever for imparting movement to the lever,

a stage carried by the shaft and disposed below the rotor, a motor onthe stage, a speed reduction device on the stage and driven by the motorand including a shaft having crank arms, flexible elements eachconnected at one end to one crank arm, the opposite end of one flexibleelement being connected to the upper portion of the slide, thecorresponding end of the other flexible element being connected to thelower portion of the slide, direction-changing upper idlers over whichthe flexible elements pass, the upper idlers being supported above therotor, and a lower idler over which another flexible element passesupwardly to the lower portion of the slide, the lower idler beingmounted on the stage.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a rotor supill ported for rotation, apassenger basket disposed in offset relation to the axis of rotation ofthe rotor, means for mounting the basket on the rotor for rotation aboutan individual axis, an entrance and exit gate for the basket and carriedthereby, brake mechanism cooperating with the basket to control therotation thereof, and a connection between the brake mechanism and thegate, the connection constituting means for setting the brake mechanismwhen the gate is open, and releasing the brake mechanism when the gateis closed.

5. An amusement apparatus constructed as set forth in claim 4, andwherein the connection includes a retractile spring constituting meansfor closing the gate.

6. In an amusement apparatus, a rotor supported for rotation in asubstantially horizontal plane, a shaft mounted on the rotor in offsetrelation to the axis of rotation of the rotor, a passenger basketmounted to rotate on the shaft and having an entrance and exit gate, abrake drum secured to the shaft, and a brake strap extended about thedrum, one end of the brake strap being anchored upon the basket, and theopposite end of the brake strap being attached to the gate.

'7. In an amusement apparatus, a passenger basket including a basehaving a cavity in its lower surface, the base having acircumferentially extended peripheral groove, and having a passagecommunicating with the cavity, and with the groove at one end thereof, ahub removably secured to the base and closing the cavity, a supportWhereon the hub is journaled, a brake drum secured to the support andhoused in the cavity, an entrance and exit gate hinged to the basket andincluding a bottom rail shaped to enter the groove when the gate isclosed, a flexible brake strap having one end anchored on the basket,the opposite end of the strap being attached to the bottom rail, thestrap including a retractile spring disposed in the passage, and a partextended about the brake drum, a rotor, means for supporting the rotorfor rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for rotating therotor, and means for mounting the support on the rotor, in offsetrelation to said axis.

8. An amusement apparatus constructed as set forth in claim 7, incombination with releasable means under the control of an operator forholding the gate open, against the closing impulse of the retractilespring.

9. In an amusement device, a rotor supported for rotation in asubstantially horizontal plane, means for rotating the rotor, an uprightlever fulcrumed on the rotor, a passenger basket mounted to rotatefreely on the lever and located above the rotor, fixed means engageablewith the basket to impart rotation thereto when the rotor is rotated,the fixed means being of such extent, circumferentially of the rotor, asto impart rotation to the basket whilst the rotor rotates through alimited arc, the basket thereafter rotating by inertia, and means forimparting swinging movement to the lever, thereby to shift the center ofmass of the basket and the passenger therein, after the basket hascleared the fixed means, and to produce irregularity in th rotation ofthe basket.

EDMONDO MECCHI.

